Pruning-shears



UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

AMOS SHEPARD,-OF PLANTSVILLE, ASSIGNOR TO THE IECK, STOIV & W'ILCOX COMPANY, OF SOUTHINGTON, CONNECTICUT.

PRUNlNG-S HEAF 1S.

SPECIFICATION forming part of-Letters Patent No. 309,888, dated December 30, 1884.

Application filed June 11, 1884.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AMOS SHEPARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Plantsville, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pruning-Shears, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in pruningshears, and has for its objects to cheapen the construction, to provide sockets for supporting and protecting the spring, and to strengthen the handles. I attain these objects by the construction illustrated in the ac companying sheet of drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved shears. Fig. 2 is a'transverse section thereof ouline x m of Fig. 1, showing the spring in elevation, and Fig. 3 is a plan View of one member of said shears.

I have styled the article herein shown pruning-shears; but they are adapted for use in trimming the feet of sheep, or for any other purpose to which pruningshears may be applied. The cutting-blades may be made in any of the ordinary forms for such shears, and secured together by means of the pivotal bolt a in the ordinary manner. I prefer to make the handles A A of cast malleable iron. At the forward ends of these handles, a little back from the pivot a, I form enlargements, b b, which are cast hollow so as to form s0ckets to receive and support the ends of the spiral spring 0, which spring, when placed within the sockets as illustrated, will have a constant tendency to throw the handles open.

(I designates a catch or hook for engaging upon the pin or keeper 1'', and holding the handles and blades closed against the force of the spring. Any ordinary form of catch located at the extreme end of the handles may be employed, if desired, instead of the peculiar catch herein shown. This particular catch located at the forward end of the handles does not constitute a part of the inven- (NO model.)

tion now sought to be patented, but is made the subject of another application of even date herewith. The sockets in the enlargements b 1) form seats for the ends of the spring for holding them in position, and also for extending along the sides of the spring to give them lateral support, and, further, so as to cover the main portion of the spring and thereby protect it from becoming clogged by con tact with various objects in use. The sides of the sockets which thus cover and protect the spring also strengthen the handles, so that it is necessary to leave only a light thickness of metal at the ends of the spring, thereby enabling me to use a long spring in proportion to the width of the handles on a line running across said projections. The sockets may be left tapering in the form in which they are cast, and the ends of the spring slightly tapered, as shownat the upper part of Fig. 2, or the sockets may be drilled or reamed out a little at the bottom and the ends of the springs left straight, as illustrated at the lower part of Fig. 2.

I am aware that shears have heretofore been made with U-shaped bends in the handles just back of the pivotal bolt and with aspiral spring secured within said bends by means of two pins within the coils of said spring, the sides of which were exposed and unprotected from end to end; and said shears are hereby disclaimed.

I claim as my invention The herein-described shears, consisting of the spiral spring, and ot' the two pivotal parts A A, having enlargements b b, within which are formed spring-sockets the sides of which extend over the sides of said spiral spring, substantially as described.

CHARLES D. BARNES, ALBERT T. BISHOP. 

